Seal press



July 12, 1966 M. CANTI-:R 3,259,966

SEAL PRESS Filed April 15, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

MORRIS CANTER 154 du/CMO( #GUM ATTORNEY July 12, 1966 M. cANTER 3,259,966

SEAL PRESS Filed April 13, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. MORRIS CANTER A TTORNEY United States Patent O "ice 3,259,966 SEAL PRESS Morris Canter, 173 W. Penn St., Long Beach, N.Y. Filed Apr. 13, 1964, Ser. No. 359,383 3 Claims. (Cl. 29-282) This invention relates to devices for sealing bags, particularly cloth or fabric bags such as canvas coin bags, and has as its principal object the provision of a device or tool for tightly binding the bag with `a closure cord and securing the said closure cord with a seal to prevent opening the bag without breaking the sealing means.

In the particular seal press of .this invention, there is a main frame comprising a pair of levers pivoted together with jaws on the said levers. A means to hold the closure Vcord for tightly binding they bag is affixed to the main frame and is supplied with a spring loaded detent to hold .the closure cord holding means in a desired taut condition during the sealing operation. In addition, the seal press of the invention may include a press lever attached to the main frame having a bearing roller cooperating with an inclined plane on one of the levers of the device to provide for better leverage in the operation of the device.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide in such a device or tool an improved means for holding the closure cord as tightly as possible until the closure is completed by the sealing means.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a tool or device for pressing the sealing means which may be motorized and which will utilize the force of powered means for its pressing function.

Prior to my invention, sealing presses for coin bags and the like were operated manually. The cords were pulled taut through the sealing block by means of a levered grip on a pressing tool while the sealing block was held within .the jaws of the pressing tool, and then when the cord was suiiiciently taut to make a good closure around the neck of the bag, the sealing block would be distorted or crimped between the jaws of the pressing tool so that it would securely hold the cords which were wound around athe neck of the bag. This pressing or sealing action of the jaws on the sealing block was accomplished by means of a levered arrangement in the pressing tool, and was also done manually requiring great physical strength on lthe part of the operator.

In addition, with'the use of the usual hand press, it is necessary to hold the cord tightening lever taut at the same time as pressing the sealing jaws so that this becomes a two handed operation in which both hands of the operator are engaged at the same time and in awkward positions.

By providing an improved cord holding and tightening .means which does not require the operator to continuously maintain his hand on the cord holding lever, and also by providing a power means to achieve the press and seal, the present invention, in its various forms, provides many advantages over lthe prior Aart as Will appear in the `drawings and specification hereinbelow. The invention is illustrated in the acompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a non-motorized press comprising my improved cord holding means with parts in phantom;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view along the lines 2-2 in FIG. 1 showing the cord holding means in irst or initial gripping position in dotted line, and in second or taut gripping position in solid line;

FIG. 3 is an end View of that form of the invention shown in FIG. 1 with the cord holding means in rst or initial gripping position and the press in rst or relaxed position;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 with the cord hold- 3,259,966 Patented July 12, 1966 ing means in second or taut gripping position, and the press in second or press position;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the seal assembly which parts shown in phantom;

FIG. 6 is a side elevational sectional view of the sealing block of the seal assembly of FIG. 5 in pressed condition;

FIG. 7 is a side elevation of an alternate form of the invention comprising power means to effect the press or seal with parts in phantom;

FIG. 8 is a side elevational enlarged detail of the form of invention shown in FIG. 7, partly cut away and partly in section.

FIG. 9 is a sectional view as seen along the lines 9-9 in FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 shows in two views a side elevation and a front end elevation of an alternate form of cammed lever for the cord holding `and tightening means;

FIG. 11 is a detail similar to FIG. 8 showing an alternate form of connecting the power means of the invention;

FIG. 12 is an enlarged detail in section of the bracket and holding means shown in FIG. 1 of the drawings; and

FIG. 13 is a detail in side elevation of a portion of FIG. l of the drawings and a top view of said detail.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

The purpose of the pressing tool of the invention is to secure a seal assembly 10 comprising a looped cord 11 having ends 12, a cord holder 13 and a sealing block 14. The ends 12 of the cord 11 are drawn through holes 15 of the cord holder 13 and through bores 16 in the sealing block to provide a looped cord arrangement as shown in FIG. 5 of the drawings having a double loop 17 into which the open end 18 of a bag 19 may be placed with the ends 12 extending a sufficient distance outside of the sealing block 14 so that they may be grasped by the cord holding and tightening means 20 at a first or initial gripping position as shown in FIG. 3 of lthe drawings, and then by exerting manual pressure to the second or taut gripping position as shown in FIG. 4 of the drawings as will be more fully described hereinbelow.

It will be noted at this point, however, that after the manual pressure is applied to the ends of the cord 11, the cord 11 is pulled taut gripping the open end of bag 19 in a tight closure as shown in FIG. 4 of the drawings. It is at this point that the sealing block 14 is pressed by the device as will be more fully explained hereinbelow to effect a seal by becoming permanently deformed and having its bores 16 so deformed that they will converge and grasp the cords 11 with a grip that will not permit the cords to again move within the seal. Thus, lthe seal 10 can only be broken by cutting a portion of the cord or by actually cutting through the seal block 14 itself. In order to accomplish this deformability of the sealing block 14, it must be made of a metal or other material having the qualities of lead or aluminum.

The seal press in the form as illustrated in FIG. 1 of the drawings comprises a main frame 22 which also acts as a handle or grip for the device. At the forward end of the main frame, I provide a lower jaw holder 24 in which a lower jaw 26 is held. At the rear end of main frame 22, I have provided a pivot 28 for attaching a lever 30 having a jaw holder 32 at its forward end holding a jaw 34. Again, at the forward end of the main frame, I provide another pivot 36 to which a press lever 38 is pivoted. Press lever 38 has a bearing roller 40 on this underside which is adapted to bear against the upper side of jaw holder 32 so that when lever 38 is manually pressed toward frame 22, it will exert a force, through bearing roller 40, to upper side of jaw holder 32 causing lever 30 to pivot on pivot 28 moving jaw holder 32 and jaw 34 toward jaw holder 24 and jaw 26 arelation to the main body portion of frame 22.

' so that when a seal 14 is placed between jaws 34 and 26,

it will be held and ultimately pressed when sufficient pressure is exerted. Spring 41 seated between lever 30 and frame 22 will normally keep the jaws 34 and 26 apart.

I have also provided an auxiliary lever 42 which pivots on point 44, and has a forked end 46 yoked around head 48y of screw 50 which is set into lever 30. Thus when lever 42 is squeezed toward frame 22, it will pull down on screw head 46 and screw 50, and will result in moving the jaws 26 and 34 together. This auxiliary lever 42 may also be called a starting lever, and its function will .be explained hereinbelow.

My improved cor-d Iholding and tightening means 20 comprises bracket 52 having arms 54 and 56 through which'a fixed shaft 58 is held. A cammed wheel 60 rotates on shaft 58 between arms 54 and 56 and has cord channel 62, a lever bracket 64, and a cammed lever 66 pivoted thereto on pivot point 68. There is a helical spring 74 around fixed shaft 58, one end of which is seated in bracket arm 54'and the other end in cammed wheel 60. The purpose of the helical spring 74 is to urge cammed wheel 60 in the direction of arrow in FIG. 3 of the drawings. Thus, cammed wheel 60 is spring urged to the first position as shown in FIG. 3. This is the normal position, or position at rest, of the cord holding and tightening means 20.

The second or taut position las shown in FIG. 4 of the drawings of the assembly 20 is maintained in position against action of spring 74 by the operation of a holding means 70 comprising a bracket 71 attached to frame 22 and a spring loaded holding element such as a detent 72 carried in a holder 73 which is movably mounted to the bracket 71 by means of external threads 75 matched to internal threads 77 in an annular opening in the bracket 71. The purpose of the movable or threaded mounting is to provide for an adjustment which is the result of a longitudinal displacement of the holder 73 when it is screwed either inwardly toward or outwardly from the bracket 71.

Inside the holder 73 there is a spring seat at end 79 for spring 80 which is also seated against inner end 81 of detent 72. Detent 72 also has a neck or shaft 83 which may be positioned within the coils of spring 8i). I may also provide a lock nut around external threads 75 to fix holder 73 in the desired position within the bracket. Cooperating with detent 72, I have provided a link 8S which is positioned on shafts 62 and 68 and has a detent contact end 87. Reference to FIG. 2 of the drawings will show that the end of detent contact end 87 defines an arc 89 when rotating with shaft 62 which comes within the mass of detent 72. Thus, when end 87 is on either side of detent 72, it will require force to move it to the other side.

When the cord holding means 20 is in second or taut position as shown in FIG. 4 yand in FIG. 2 of the drawings, end 87 is positioned outwardly of detent 72 with The combined force of spring 76 and a tightly held co-rd 12 which may then be held in the cord holding means 20, should not be sufficient to pull the cord hol-ding means back to first position as shown in FIG. 3. In other words, the force of spring 80 and the position of detent 72 should be such that it will take an additional force, for example, a manual force on lever 66, to throw cord holding means 20 back from second position to first position. lThis is accomplished by manually taking hold of lever 66 and flipping it back with a sharp stroke of sufficient force to force detent 72 upwardly and permit end 87 to traverse back toward frame 22.

Operation of the press When it is desired to seal a bag, the seal assembly is placed around the opening 1S of the bag 19, and the cord 11 is tightened manually. Then the seal press is held in one hand of the operator at or around the frame 22. The seal block -1 4 Ais placed between jaws 26 and 34,

and the auxiliary or starting handle 42 is squeezed to hold the sealing block 14 in position in the press. 'I'hen cord ends 12 are placed by the operator into cord channel 62 and lever 66 is then pushed downwardly with the other hand of the operator so that inner lever end 82 will grasp the cord 12 and the lever 66, together with cammed wheel 60, will rotate in a direction oppositeV to that of the arrow shown in FIG. 3 of the drawings. This will serve to permit the cord holding and tightening assembly 20 to draw the cord 11 as taut as possible when it is in the second position as shown in FIG. 4 of the drawings. At this point, the action of spring 74 urges the cord holding assembly back to its first position. However, this inhibited by the force of detent 72 against end 87 of link y85 as described herein-below. This Apermits the operator to remove his hand from lever 66* and transfer it to lever 38, grasping at the same time lever 38 and frame 22 to squeeze these elements together effectively causing the press jaws 34 and 26 to move together to deform the sealing block 14 to the shape of the jaws as shown in FIGS. 4 and 6 of the drawings, causing an effective seal of the bag. Lever 38 is released and the jaws will move apart by action of spring 41. Handle 66` is then given -a sharp manual tap to force end 87 across detent 72, and then spring 74 returns the cord holding and tightening assembly 2() back to its first position. The bag 19 with its seal 16 is then removed and the press is ready for the next operation.

In FIG. 7 of the drawings, I show another form of the 1 invention which will be described hereinbelow, and which has an alternate form of cord holding and tightening means 220. tightening means 220, all of the parts are as heretofore described with the exception that the holding means is prQ- vided with a fixed ratchet wheel 2'22 on the end of shaft 58 which cooperates with a pawl 224 which is spring mounted f When it is desired to release the cord holding means, a

pawl handle 228 is pushed against pivot point 68 to remove pawl 224 from the teeth of ratchet wheel 222.

It will be obvious from the foregoing that by improved cord holding and tightening device permits the operator to remove one hand from it, and to use the saidhand,`

together with his other hand, for the pressing operation.

In FIG. l0 of the drawings, I provide a handle 66a` which is connected to rotating shaft 68a by means of a pivot pin means 130. This is provided so that abuti ment end 132 of handle 66a can be removed sidewise from abutment with wheel 60. This facility is provided so that when a cord is tightly jammed in between cord holding means, it will not be necessary to push handle 66a backwards against great force, but by pushing it side-1` i wise by means of pivot pin 130, it may be removed with ease.

In FIG. 13 of the drawings, I show a detail of construction of the operation of press handle 38. There.. is a bearing assembly 146 which comprises bearing roller` 40 and an inclined plate 142. Inclined plate 142 isset into lever 30 by a dovetail 144 and a set screw 146.

Reference to the lower portion of FIG. 13 of the drawings i will show that when the bearing roller 40 moves in the direction of the arrow, it moves downwardly as well as forwardly giving a mechanical advantage to the press. This makes it easier to use the hand press.

In another form of my invention, as illustrated in FIG. 7 of the drawings, I have provided a frame or handle 22 together with a lever 30 and all of the associated parts already described for the first form of the invention In the alternate form of cord holding and with the exception that in this form of the invention, I have eliminated starting lever 42 and pressing lever 38 and their associated parts, and I have substituted the form of cord holding and tightening means 220 for the form 20 shown in FIG. 1 of the drawings.

In the form of invention shown in FIG. 7, I provide a starting lever 90 having la hooked end 92 which hooks under a pivot pin 94 in frame 22. I hold starting lever 90 in place by means of a machine screw 96 which holds it loosely to lever 30. When starting lever 90 is squeezed toward frame 22, by means of a cam surface 98 contacting lever 30 and also by action of end 92 against pivot pin 94, it will cause lever 30 and its jaw 34 to move toward jaw 26 against action of spring 100 which is seated against frame 22 and against lever 30. This would be the same as the use of starting lever 42 in the rst form of the device, and would serve to maintain the sealing block 14 in position prior to cord tightening. The cord is then tightened in the same manner as by the cord holding and tightening means 20, or 220.

At this point the operator completes the seal by power means instead of manually by means of the following described components of the form of invention shown in FIG. 7 of the drawings. There is a motor housing 102 attached to the upper forward end of frame 22. Within the motor housing I have provided an electric motor and a torque transmission (not shown), but in accordance with that disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 2,394,348 issued on February 5, 1946 on application of Glenn C. Wilhide. Such a motor and transmission arrangement has an overload release which may be set at a predetermined maximum torque which in this case would be at that point when the jaws of the press have moved together suiciently to provide for the deformation of the sealing block 14. Thus, the action of the motor and the power of the press would be released before the time when the tool would be destroyed.

I have also provided a coupling 104 attached to upper part of jaw holder 32. Coupling 104 comprises a ball joint 106 in a socket 108. Between the walls 110 and 112 of upper part of frame member 22, I have provided a block 114 having an annular opening 116 with internal threads which are adapted to match external threads 118 on motor shaft 120. The motor housing 102 is attached to the device by means of sliding guides 122 and 124 which slide in guide holders 126 which are mounted inside of walls 110 and 112. Thus, when the motor runs in a forward direction, threads 118 will rotate clockwise and force ball joint 106 downwardly as shown in FIG. 8 of the drawings. This will cause the press. At the same time, guides 122 and 124 will be sliding downwardly in guide holders 126. At the proper time, the clutch will release shaft 120 and no further forward movement will be accomplished. In order to release the press, the motor is put in reverse until the ball joint 106 and socket 108 are returned to their first position with their jaws spread apart.

In an alternate form of the device shown in FIG. 11 of the drawings, I may provide a pinion gear 131 at the end of motor shaft 133 cooperatnig with a rack 134. When the motor action is started, it will drive the pinion and rack to force ball 136 downwardly against socket 138 to cause the jaws to close. At the proper point, the overload release clutch will operate disconnecting pinion gear 131. The action of spring 100 will force ball 136 in socket 138 and upper jaw upwardly when the clutch action is released, returning the parts to their iirst position before the power was applied. The motor in housing 102 is activated by means of a trigger switch 103 which makes an electrical connection (not shown) between the power line (not shown) and the motor housing 102. In all forms of the device described herein, a reverse switch (not shown) may be used to manually reverse the motor, or an automatic switching arrangement may be set up so that the motor will run forward and then reverse after the clutch is kicked out to return the parts to their first position. This may be activated by one movement of a switch such as trigger switch 103.

As an alternative, I may provide in motor housing 102 a device such as that disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 3,020,789 granted February 13, 1962 on application of Elmer F. Etskorn. Any pneumatic impact tool or powered impact tool may be substituted in motor housing 102 which may be adapted for operation to a predetermined point, and then have an automatic kickback to the rst position, or either automatic or manual powered reverse to first position. In addition, instead of having the shaft of the power means perpendicular to the frame 22 as shown in FIG. 7 of the drawings, the power means may work through a degree angle drive (not shown), and be parallel to and incorporated in the main frame 22 of the device.

While I have described my invention in its preferred forms, there are other forms which it may take without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, and I, therefore, desire to be protected for all forms coming Within the claims hereinbelow.

Wherefore I claim:

1. A hand seal press having a main frame, comprising at least one pair of levers pivoted together, at least one jaw attached to each of said levers, a bracket atTixed to said main frame supporting rotatable cord holding means having at least one spring rotating said cord holding means toward said jaws, and holding means to hold said cord holding means against the action of the said spring comprising spring loaded detent means mounted on said bracket; said rotatable cord holding means having an operating lever associated with an end, said end defining an arc when said rotatable cord holding means is rotated, with at least one portion of said arc near said bracket, said spring loaded detent means being mounted on said bracket with a portion of said detent normally being within said arc defined by said end associated with said operating lever, said end of said operating lever moving during rotation of said rotatable lcord holding means from a first position on one side of said detent to a second position on another side of said detent.

2. A hand seal press as described in claim 1 in which there is a press lever pivotally attached at a pivot point to the main frame carrying a bearing roller, and in which one of the said pair of levers has an inclined plane, said bearing roller having an axis substantially parallel to said inclined plane and being in contacting relationship vw'th said inclined plane.

3. A hand seal press as described in claim 1 in which said holding means is mounted on said bracket by a mounting comprising external threading on said holding means and internal threading in an opening in said bracket, said external threading of said holding means being rotatably litted into said internal threading of said opening in said bracket.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 343,780 6/1886 Tewksbury 8l-9.1 693,612 2/1902 Krah 81-9.1 847,776 3/ 1907 Huising 81-9.1 X 1,182,602 5/1916 Tuohy 81-9.1 X 1,182,652 5/ 1916 Davis 81-177.9 1,719,310 7/ 1929 Rawlings 81-177.9 2,267,532 12/1941 Moberg 81-9.1 X 2,394,348 2/ 1946 Wilhide 8152.4 X 2,764,861 10/1956 Wenk 53-135 3,135,146 6/1964 Loucks 81-15 WILLIAM FELDMAN, Primary Examiner.

MICHAEL BALAS, Examiner.

I. L. JONES, JR., Assistant Examiner. 

1. A HAND SEAL PRESS HAVING A MAIN FRAME, COMPRISING AT LEAST ONE PAIR OF LEVERS PIVOTED TOGETHER, AT LEAST ONE JAW ATTACHED TO EACH OF SAID LEVERS, A BRACKET AFFIXED TO SAID MAIN FRAME SUPPORTING ROTATABLE CORD HOLDING MEANS HAVING AT LEAST ONE SPRING ROTATING SAID CORD HOLDING MEANS TOWARD SAID JAWS, AND HOLDING MEANS TO HOLD SAID CORD HOLDING MEANS AGAINST THE ACTION OF THE SAID SPRING COMPRISING SPRING LOADED DETENT MEANS MOUNTED ON SAID BRACKET; SAID ROTATABLE CORD HOLDING MEANS HAVING AN OPERATING LEVER ASSOCIATED WITH AN END, SAID END DEFINING AN ARC WHEN SAID ROTATABLE CORD HOLDING MEANS IS ROTATED, WITH AT LEAST ONE PORTION OF SAID ARC NEAR SAID BRACKET, SAID SPRING LOADED DETENT MEANS BEING MOUNTED ON SAID BRACKET WITH A PORTION OF SAID DETENT NORMALLY BEING WITHIN SAID ARC DEFINED BY SAID END ASSOCIATED WITH SAID OPERATING LEVER, SAID END OF SAID OPERATING LEVER MOVING DURING ROTATION OF SAID ROTATABLE CORD HOLDING MEANS FROM A FIRST POSITION ON ONE SIDE OF SAID DETENT TO A SECOND POSITION ON ANOTHER SIDE OF SAID DETENT. 